The winner of a new international arts prize run by an exhibition centre in Northern Ireland will scoop £20,000, organisers have said.

The MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre) in Belfast has announced the 24 artists shortlisted in its inaugural competition.

More than 1,000 artists from 30 countries across the world entered the MAC International contest for contemporary art.

The winner will be announced at the end of October and the work of all the shortlisted contenders, which include sculpture, painting, photography, film, installation and performance, will be exhibited in the MAC’s galleries through the autumn and winter.

Two Belfast artists, Dougal McKenzie and Colin Darke, are among those named on the shortlist, along with Dublin’s Darek Fortas and Maria McKinney.

Andrew Cranston and Jordan Baseman, from Glasgow, are also shortlisted along with London-based Mike Harvey, Tim Ellis, Mairead McClean, and Roxy Walsh and Sally Underwood.

A jury of international curators including Francesco Bonami, an Italian art curator and writer who is currently the artistic director of Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo in Turin, and Judith Nesbitt, head of national and international Partnerships at Tate, London, will select the winner.

MAC curator Hugh Mulholland said: “MAC International will make a major contribution to the visual arts sector in the UK and beyond. It has already made a global impact, with 1,016 submissions coming in from across the world, alongside submissions from Irish and UK artists.

“The calibre of the judging panel adds significant weight to the exhibition’s international credentials, while the £20,000 on offer to the winner represents one of the largest art prizes in the UK.

“MAC International will fully transform the MAC’s galleries during the exhibition, adding further to the MAC’s reputation as a leading cultural venue offering visitors the opportunity to see current visual art practice by local, national and international artists.

“We expect many of the visitors to the exhibition to be out-of-state, making a major contribution to Northern Ireland’s cultural tourism economy.”

Stormont Culture Minister Caral Ni Chuilin said: “In order to nurture young and emerging talent here it is vital they are able to experience the best from both international and home grown artists.

“The international art prize offers the opportunity to view innovative and pioneering contemporary visual art of all forms. This is at the very heart of international contemporary art and will ensure both the reputation of the MAC and contemporary arts here continue to grow.

“With the exhibition free of charge and running until January 2015, I am certain many people will take the opportunity to visit the MAC.”